Lobelia plant named ‘KLELE06114’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘KLELE06114’, characterized by its semi-upright and trailing plant habit; freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy plant form; continuously and freely flowering habit; and dark blue-colored flowers with white-colored eyes.

Botanical designation: Lobelia erinus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KLEIE06114’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KLELE06114’.

The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely and early-flowering Lobelia cultivars with good branching habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Lobelia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2003 of a proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number W 049, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 040127, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant with the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany in April, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since May, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar KLELE06114 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KLELE06114’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KLELE06114’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy         plant form.     -   3. Continuously and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dark blue-colored flowers with white-colored eyes.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more trailing than and not as         mounding as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have lighter blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia have stronger stems than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have lighter blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Dark Blue Angel, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Lobelia differed from plants of the cultivar Dark Blue Angel in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more trailing than and not as         upright as plants of the cultivar Dark Blue Angel.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia were darker blue in         color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Dark Blue Angel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Lobelia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lobelia. The photograph is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘KLELE06114’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Stuttgart, Germany during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse under commercial practice with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 20° C., night temperatures ranging from 10° C. to 14° C. Plants were pinched one time at the time of planting. Plants had been growing for about four months when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus cultivar KLELE06114. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia             erinus identified as code number W 049, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia             erinus identified as code number 040127, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Semi-upright and trailing plant habit. Freely             branching habit with lateral branches developing at             potentially every node; short internodes; dense and bushy             plant habit. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 10 cm to 15 cm.         -   Plant width. About 15 cm to 20 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 10 cm to 15 cm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm             to 2.5 cm. Strength: Weak. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             137A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length, basal leaves.—About 5 mm to 7 mm.         -   Width, basal leaves.—About 2 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             137A; venation, 137A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 137A; venation, 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement/shape.—Flowers arranged singly at lateral             apices. Flowers held mostly outwardly. Flowers persistent.             Freely flowering with about five to eleven flowers and             flower buds per lateral branch; continuously flowering with             older flowers are overgrown by new flowers and foliage.             Flowers not fragrant. Flowers tubular with three larger             lower petals and two smaller upright petals.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring in Germany.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on weather conditions; typically             about one week.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.5 cm. Depth (height): About             1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 86A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, fused;             three larger lower petals and two smaller upper petals.             Shape: Ovate. Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Width: About             5 mm. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: 93A; small spots on lower petals,             close to 155A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             94B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             the base; vase-shaped calyx. Length: About 7 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper surface: 147A. Color, lower surface: 147A             overlain with 183B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: About 30° from vertical. Strength: Weak. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             five. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic.             Anther color: 93A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             12A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1 cm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: 79A. Style length:             About 7 mm. Style color: 93A; underside, 145B. Ovary color:             145A.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture:             Rugose. Color: 165B.         -   Seeds.—Length: Less than 0.2 mm. Diameter: Less than 0.2 mm.             Color: 166A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 1° C. to about 32° C. 

1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘KLELE06114’ as illustrated and described. 